Die-casting machines of the prior art are many in design and mode of operation. It is well known to use such machines for making castings of a heat-softenable material such as zinc, a zinc alloy, or the like. One of the problems associated with prior art die-casting machines has been the necessity of making those machines bulkier and more massive to withstand increased forces holding the dies locked during casting. This has been necessary to a large extent because the frame members of prior art die-casting machines were designed to absorb the loads derived from forces holding the dies locked. More specifically, the toggle-mechanism commonly used in previous die-casting machines was actuated by a piston and cylinder combination. These pistons and cylinders exerted a force which was amplified through the toggle mechanism and that amplified force had to be absorbed by frame members of the die-casting machine.